


Meant to Be

by Merfilly



Series: Marks of the Force [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ensemble Cast, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:01:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23117725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: A series of events bring the trio together at last
Relationships: CC-5052 | Bly/Kit Fisto/Aayla Secura
Series: Marks of the Force [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655401
Comments: 14
Kudos: 198





	Meant to Be

Tholme looked at Aayla with a worried look as she came into the office with him and Areen Jepet. She nodded to the elder Master, gave a smile to her grandmaster, and then focused.

"We need your skills to get into a pirate stronghold," Tholme said. "They've managed to take a Jedi prisoner, and he must be quite incapacitated as we've not been able to reach him by deep meditation from his master, his padawans, or his finder."

"We've arranged for you to have a squadron of men to take with you," Areen said. "All volunteers, mind you."

Aayla nodded at that. The men, the eldest of which were twenty standard years in appearance, were more than eager to go on this things. She had not worked with them often, but found them very professional. "Which Jedi is missing, so I might plan for aid if needed?"

Areen answered, keeping her voice and face and pheromones neutral with utmost control. "Kit Fisto."

"Very well. I'll take the aid kit that is appropriate," Aayla replied, keeping hold of her serenity and control with all her will power. She turned to leave them, to prep, and both elder Jedi silently wished her well.

* * *

Kit Fisto. Aayla shook her head, as a million thoughts tumbled in her mind at once. She remembered how kind he had been while the search for the boys was on. He had been very careful, though, to give her space, to not intrude on her as she matured into her knighthood. Even during the brief period they had remained on Kamino to head up the protective force there, he had given her space. Still, his mark rested on her wrist alongside the gold bar of one of the young men that she had yet to meet.

Tholme and Areen both knew. They had chosen her not just for her skill… but because she had a tie that had yet to be explored. The idea of not even testing the waters with a man that was universally admired for his kindness and warm heart, of him possibly dying before she got that chance filled her with a burning resolve.

Now, she just had to acquire the volunteer squad and make it clear to this pirate that absconding with Jedi was inviting a very dangerous reaction. She walked over to the staging area, where Tholme said a ship and the men would be, lekku calmed now, and steel in her spine as she moved.

She noticed the one wearing a comm array nudge the one with the shoulder pauldron, and in the next instant the squad of eight men all straightened at a hand flick of that one. She focused on him when she was close enough to be polite — 

— and her world shook again. There on his cheeks were the same gold marks that existed on her wrists. She was so thankful for the wraps that hid her marks, and she schooled her lekku to be still.

"Knight Secura," she introduced herself. "Are you the team that will be assisting me in retrieving Master Fisto?"

"Yes s— ma'am. Commander Bly, and my handpicked personal squad," he said, meeting her eyes, not straying as too many people she dealt with had. "As it was infiltration and recovery, Master Ti stated we would not need anything larger."

Force bless Shaak Ti for having taken on the distribution of men to tasks. And… she might have to have words with the elder woman, given their own history! She almost felt like she was being set up!

"No, we should not. Nine of us should be more than adequate."

When she got back with Master Fisto, then she would track Shaak down and point out this was not the way she'd meant to meet her other marked potential partner!

* * *

Master Fisto, for his part, was not enjoying the hospitality of the pirates that had subdued him. He'd been caught on a freighter, making his way back to Coruscant, when it had been attacked. This gang, notorious for selling sapient beings into slavery away from the Republic, had not been pleased to find a Jedi aboard, but had managed to back him into an inescapable corner with the innocent crew he'd been trying to protect.

Sometimes being an amphibious species worked against him, as the canisters had spewed a gas and tactile poison, rendering him unconscious. When he came to, he was held in Force-suppressing cuffs and collar, with his lightsaber nowhere he could see. 

His eyes flicked over the small cell he was in, seeking anything that could help him escape — 

— as the bars sizzled out with the suddenness of a power failure. He let a smile light his face for the first time in days, and rushed through the opening, casting about for the right way to go so he was not recaptured too easily. Even without his Force abilities, he meant to make that a very nasty event for the pirates.

Was that the sound of a fight? Had they had a falling out between factions in the pirates? He moved cautiously that way, thinking the pirates would be closer to a point of exit. Maybe he could take advantage of that, and make good his escape, to find some way to help the others from outside this compound.

He turned a corner, knowing he was very near the fighting as his tentacles were picking up tibanna gas. Then he was reacting as a hand, armored, reached for him, spinning to see his attacker.

"Master Fisto?"

The armor and shape connected in his mind with the Yavin contingent, and he grinned widely. 

"Elek," he said, using their language to show how grateful he was. "Can you short these out? I'd like to help."

The man in armor shook his head, but pulled a device out to get the Jedi out of his cuffs and collar. "Name's Bolt," he said as he worked. "They had me kill power and go looking for you, sir. Don't think I'm supposed to let you join the fight so much as guide you out."

"You may certainly guide me out, right through the fighting, please," Kit said as Bolt shorted everything out and the Force flared sharply on his awareness. "I am pleased to meet you."

"Take my blaster?" Bolt offered, having a rifle slung to replace it.

"The Force is all I need," Kit promised, and Bolt sighed, muffled by his helmet. He took point at least, guiding the Jedi out.

* * *

Commander Bly was both impressed and distressed when the targets they had been shooting at very suddenly, without warning and from the inner part of the compound, were bowled over by an invisible wave of energy.

The impressed was because of just how strong the telekinetic force had been, but the distressed was on realizing that Master Fisto was still on the other side of said compound's open bay, and not every pirate had been knocked senseless. He might just have to go one on one with Bolt for not being more careful on how he got the Jedi out of here.

Knight Secura, at least, was fighting very near him, deflecting bolts and shoving barriers around to protect the rest of the squadron. He started to say something to her, and even that comfort was taken from her, as she charged — CHARGED! — the pirates before they could fully recover.

On one hand, he admired her courage.

On the other, he could feel his hair turning white like Sinker's.

"There were others on the ship with me," Kit called to Aayla, Bly clearly heard. He signed 'find them' at Sonar, their comm tech, and started picking his shots more carefully with both Jedi in the middle of firing lines.

He noted a cylinder dangling from one of the pirates belts, slim and lightly colored with little in the way of decoration save its design alone. He would bet credits that was a lightsaber, and started moving that direction as he fired.

Time slowed down for all of them as they picked through the fight, overwhelming the pirates by skill, and when Bly actually secured the cylinder he was certain of his instincts on it. Turning to find Master Fisto, he noted the Jedi were fighting as a tandem pair, with her defending by lightsaber and him using Force pushes. They didn't have many more enemies to take down, but Bly moved that way to return the weapon to its likely owner.

"Sir?" he said, once he'd reached the pair, coming in behind that deadly lightsaber in Knight Secura's hands. He held out the cylinder, and saw the nonhuman face erupt in a smile that lit the room… or maybe Bly was just too elated to help the Jedi.

"Thank you… commander?"

"Bly, sir." 

"Commander Bly."

* * *

The freighter crew had been found, and given the pirate's own vessels for recompense, with Jedi modified beacons. Now, aboard the ship headed for Yavin IV, Kit could take a moment and actually thank his rescuers. He had ducked into a sonic shower to get the lingering residue off, but the Force told him where to find the others.

He entered the small crew compartment so he could, only to have all words fail him. There was Aayla Secura, whom he had tried so hard to steer clear of until she was an adult and knew more of the world. But, standing there with her was the commander, no longer helmeted, and the gold marks proclaimed him as the other part of the circle that had ensnared him in the hunt for the children of Kamino.

"Master," Aayla said, noting his presence. 

"Knight Secura," he said, formally, inclining his head. "Commander Bly, correct?"

"Yes, sir," the man said. "You met Bolt," and he left it on a rising note to see if he should introduce the rest. 

"I'd love to have the names of all who came to help me from my misadventure," he said smoothly, before he made certain his wristlets covered both marks with minor adjustments of Force pressure. He listened, repeating every name, as Bly gave them, drinking in the feel of satisfaction. None of them had died, both Jedi were unharmed, and they had freed eighty other sentient beings!

His eyes came back to Bly as the introductions ended, and he searched, carefully, for if the man was aware of the marks and who they were on that level. Nothing seemed to be amiss, though, and Kit let himself relax slightly.

Only slightly, though, for he was absolutely aware of all the questions he had for Aayla, curious how life was treating her, and… wondering if she was ready to see if the marks told truth.

* * *

Aayla watched the way Kit interacted with the men on their way back to Yavin IV. While the Temple on Coruscant had a staff, it was slowly being changed to a learning institute for the various Service Corps and Jedi tackling difficult or esoteric practices, and providing a home to those with business on Coruscant itself.

Yavin IV was the home of the Order, and many Service Corps were in the process of moving at least a branch office there, as it was out of the way and secluded in some ways. When asked if he wished to go on to Coruscant, Kit had given a playful smile and said he thought he'd earned a few days home… and he had pointedly not looked at Aayla or Bly.

Did he not want to pursue the potential of the marks? If not, why had they persisted so long? She resisted the urge to peek at hers, having already chosen to see if Bly was adverse to more missions together. It felt right to let that one grow in that manner.

Did she want to broach the subject herself? Was he waiting for her to be the one to move first? She thought about all she knew of him, and thought that might well be the answer.

Well. She did not need to go straight back to a mission when they arrived, and she would seek him out.

* * *

"Sir. Ma'am."

Kit looked up, having only just been approached by Aayla to see it was Bly. He gave a friendly smile, tentacles waving lightly.

"Is there something you need one of us for?" Aayla asked, adding her only smile. Kit felt a mild wave of … something negative? He could not place it, not even by scent. 

"I hoped to speak to both of you, privately," Bly said. "If I may?"

Kit nodded. "My quarters are not far." He guided the pair there, and in, shutting the door.

"What is it, Commander?" Aayla asked, everything shifting toward concern now, and Kit realized she was picking up on the nerves their new friend was having. Fresh sweat, carrying uneasiness, had broken out.

"Please, sit," he invited, and both of them did, taking the chairs as Kit dropped on the over-sized pillow he preferred.

"My brothers and I, we've learned a lot as we've grown up here, and gone out in the galaxy to help," Bly began. "And one of those things we learned about were the marks."

Kit and Aayla exchanged a look, wondering just where this was going. But then Bly was undoing his armor on his forearms, and they watched him, listening.

"We didn't have any. And we noticed that every Jedi, even the younglings, hid their wrists, or other places usually marked. We thought it might be a societal thing," Bly continued, as he started to get the gloves off too. "But… it's because of us, isn't it?"

"Master?" Aayla pushed, as he was elder and senior in ranking.

Kit did not see a point in lying at this point, even if he noticed Bly had turned his arms so the inner wrists were not immediately visible.

"We found you, Bly, and your brothers, because many of us acquired the marks suddenly. But none of you had any, and you were all children. Just as we protect younglings from dealing with early marks, we chose to keep them hidden away."

Bly gave a slight smile. "Always protecting us, when that's our job." He then turned his arms up, and both could see each wrist clearly marked with wavy lines that looked like vines entwined… or lekku and tentacles. "They've begun to show, and we researched. We know it's not set in stone, that it is always but a suggestion.

"I'd like to see if it is a good one, now that I've actually met you both."

Aayla took a deep breath, and then let it out in a soft explosion. "Not at all what I was expecting for this conversation when I came to find you, Master," she said, looking at Kit.

Kit pulled his wristlets off, and turned them to show the bars on each, with the lekku around it. When he'd first gotten them, hers had been on the left, and his on the right. That had changed early on, and he'd accepted it as the better option, knowing she wore the bar on both wrists too.

"It is only a suggestion," Kit stressed, as much to her as to Bly. "But I think the first step we have to take to learning where we can be with one another is to use each other's names.

"I have held back from finding you, Bly, just as I have tried hard to let Aayla find her own path, because of how much older I am."

Bly nodded at that, while Aayla shook her head. 

"I had begun to wonder if you wished not to pursue it at all," she admitted to Kit. "It is why I wished to talk to you."

"I think I am ready… if you both are," Kit said softly.

"I am," Aayla answered, and both looked to Bly. "You don't have — "

"Ma'am — Aayla? I am more than willing to see what it might turn into," Bly said, cutting her off. "I watched both of you in that compound, and … I liked what I saw. Then I realized what the marks actually looked like. And found myself hoping it could be tried."

"Then… we will try," Aayla said firmly.

"Yes," both men answered.


End file.
